When It's Too Much!

He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 
Mark 14:33-35

With everything we deal with every day, is it any wonder that we feel overwhelmed by it all?  The deadlines, the kids and their schedules, the repairs that need done to the car, the carpools, the boss' expectations, traffic is going to make you late, and then there are the trains...  

Even the things we enjoy can overwhelm us. How many of us take time off from work for this thing called "vacation" which ends up being another entire ordeal of scheduled activities with little rest?  

If you look at today's passage, you will see that even Jesus felt overwhelmed.  Especially when He was facing His trial, punishment, and crucifixion.  Yet Jesus gives us three key ways of dealing with feeling overwhelmed:

1. Jesus was completely honest about how He felt: "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death"

2.  Jesus solicited the help of friends: "He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

3.  Jesus prayed! He took His burden to His Father: "He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him."

This is good counsel to help with the feelings of being overwhelmed.